It has long been known to use connectors to terminate coaxial cable so as to connect a cable to various electronic devices such as televisions, radios and the like. Conventional coaxial cables typically include a center conductor surrounded by an insulator. A braided or foil conductive shield is disposed over the insulator. An outer insulative jacket surrounds the shield. In order to prepare the coaxial cable for termination, the outer jacket is stripped back exposing an extent of the conductive shield which is folded back over the jacket. A portion of the insulator extends outwardly from the jacket and an extent of the center conductor extends outwardly from insulator. Such a prepared cable may be terminated in a conventional coaxial connector.
Coaxial connectors of this type include a connector body having an inner cylindrical post which is inserted between the insulator and the conductive shield. A locking sleeve is provided to secure the cable within the body of the coaxial connector. The locking sleeve, which is typically formed of a resilient plastic, is securable to the connector body to secure the coaxial connector thereto. As coaxial connectors of this type require a two-piece construction, including the body and the sleeve, often during shipping, handling and installation, the parts may become lost or misplaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,675 addresses this problem by providing a coaxial connector where the locking sleeve is frangibly tethered to the connector body. Prior to installation, the locking sleeve is frangibly removed from the connector body whereupon the locking sleeve is inserted onto the cable and the cable is inserted into the connector body for securement thereto. While the connector of the '675 patent reduces the risk of mishandling or loss of the connector components during shipment, upon installation the locking sleeve must still be removed from the connector body and attached to the cable separately. Thus, there is still a risk of mishandling or loss of components during installation.
This problem is further addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,257 where a coaxial connector is provided with a locking sleeve being inseparably coupled to a connector body. Cable termination using the connector of the '257 patent requires that the prepared coaxial cable be inserted axially through both the locking sleeve and connector body. Thereafter, the locking sleeve can be axially advanced so as to secure the cable in the connector body.
While in many installations, this form of cable termination is acceptable, it has been found that insertion of the prepared cable through both the locking sleeve and the connector body may be difficult in certain situations. As the cable installer typically works outdoors in an elevated or underground environment, it may become difficult to “blind” insert the prepared cable through the locking sleeve and into proper position around the cylindrical post of the connector body. In these situations, it would be desirable to permit the removal of the locking sleeve from the connector body so that the cable could be directly inserted into the connector body.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a coaxial connector which supports the locking sleeve on the connector body, but which when circumstances require, permits the removal of the locking sleeve therefrom to permit ease of cable termination.